I 55: ^-y Webster Family Library of Veterirtary MedWne Cummings Scho( • ^ eterinary Medicine at T.' - /-rslty 20U .- ■-■■ -(jfo Road North Grafton, MA 01536 TRAINING YOUNG HORSES TO JUMP AN EARLY CONCEPTION OF A BALANCED HORSE FROM AN OLD PRINT. VIENNA. 1730 His powers of extension aie expended in high action and pawing the air ; . his head maintains a fixed profile. His hocks so placed could propel the forehand upward, but little else, as the horse's balance was fixed TRAINING YOUNG HORSES TO JUMP BY GEOFFREY BROOKE i6th LANCERS, CAVALRY SCHOOL PREFACE BY COLONEL J. VAUGHAN, D.S.O. COMMANDANT, THE CA\'ALRY SCHOOL, NETHERA\'ON WITH THREE PLATES IN COLOUR AND 34 ILLUSTRATIONS IN BLACK AND WHITE LONDON LAWRENCE & JELLICOE LTD. 34 HENRIETTA ST. COVENT GARDEN W.C. 6c.; PRINTED AT THE BALLANTYNE PRESS LONDON PREFACE There are many branches of horsemanship and horse-training. In order to excel in any branch we must have method and a combina- tion of theory and practice. It has been the author's duty as an instructor at the Cavalry School to study the subject thoroughly, and in placing his experience and methods before the public he is voluntarily giving away valuable knowledge. A portion of this book was written by the author at my request and published in the Cavalry Journal as part of a series on horse- training, which appeared in the numbers published in 191 2. I heartily commend these pages to my brother officers, and feel sure that they will be read with equal interest by all horsemen, whether military or civilian. J. VAUGHAN, Colonel Commandant Cavaliy School. Netheravox, Alay 15, 191 3. CONTENTS PACE PREFACE : BY COLONEL J. VAUGHAN, D.S.O. The Commandant, Cavalry School, N'etheravon v LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ix I. THEORY : JUMPING QUALIFICATIONS : CON- DITION : BALANCE : BITS 13 11. FIRST LESSONS : FREE JUMPING : SCHOOL- ING IN THE LONG REINS : CIRCULAR MANEGE 27 III. SCHOOLING MOUNTED : DISPENSING WITH AYINGS : PRESENTING A YOUNG HORSE AT A FENCE : STICKY FENCERS : HORSES THAT RUSH AT THEIR FENCES : HORSES THAT ARE UNABLE TO ATTAIN THEIR CORRECT BALANCE WHEN JUMPING: MARTINGALES 36 IV. THE RIDER'S SEAT : ACTION OF THE HANDS : REFUSING HORSES : AMOUNT OF SCHOOLING A YOUNGSTER MAY BE GIVEN : HUNTING 49 V. SHOW JUMPING 76 viii CONTENTS PAGE VI. HINTS FOR PREVENTING SOME OF THE NUMEROUS TROUBLES THAT OCCUR WITH YOUNG HORSES : VII. BANDAGES 81 BOOTS 83 BRUSHING 83 BLOWS : CONTUSION : TREATMENT 84 BITS : SNAFFLE : CURB-BIT : FITTING OF SAME 85 COLDS AND COUGHS 89 COOLING LOTION 91 CLAY 91 COLD WATER 91 DISTRIBUTION OF HORSE'S WEIGHT 92 EXHAUSTION 94 FEEDING AND WATERING 94 FRESH AIR 90 HUMOUR 96 ONE-SIDED MOUTH 89 OPEN JOINT 105 OVERREACH 97, 106 PHYSIC 96 PREPARATION OF FEET FOR SHOEING 99 SHOES 97 SPRAINS (TREATMENT) 100 SPLINTS (TREATMENT) lOI SHARP TEETH 102 SPURS 102 THORNS 102 WIND : HIGH BLOWING : WHISTLING 103 ROARING : BROKEN WIND 104 WHISPING 104 WOUNDS (TREATMENT) 105 TYPES 107 FINAL WORDS 117 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOUR AN EARLY CONCEPTION OF A BALANCED HORSE Frontisficce "THE DREAM OF AN OLD MELTONIAN" Faci„^page 74 SHOW JUMPING : THE GATE Facing page 78 BLACK-AND-WHITE ILLUSTRATIONS PAl^E THE BIG DOUBLE AT PUNCHESTOWN 18 JUMPING WATER HORSE BALANCING HIMSELF ON THE SLOPE OF A HILL SLIDING WING FOR USE WITH LONG REINS 28 DIMENSIONS OF AN OBLONG MANEGE 30 HORSES LANDING OVER A FENCE t^t, SCHOOLING OVER A GATE WITHOUT WINGS 37 A HORSE THAT PERSISTS IN JUMPING THE GAP IN A FENCE 38 SCHOOLING WITHOUT WINGS IN ITALY ix 23 39 X LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS AN UNSTEADY SEAT OVER A FENCE REACTS ON THE HORSE'S MOUTH AND BALANCE 42 THE EFFECT OF A HORSE'S BALANCE BEING TOO FAR BACK 46 THE NECESSITY FOR SUFFICIENT LIBERTY OF REIN 46 COUNTERBALANCING A HORSE'S WEIGHT THAT IS TOO FAR BACK WHEN HE JUMPS 47 A BOLD JUMPER WITH THE RIDER'S WEIGHT CORRECTLY ADJUSTED 50 NORMAL POSITION TO BE ADOPTED BY THE RIDER 52 THE EFFORT OF PROPULSION WHEN JUMPING 53 THE EFFORT OF PROPULSION WHEN GALLOPING 55 THE WEIGHT ADJUSTED TO ASSIST THE HORSE IN HIS GALLOP 56 THE ACTION OF THE HANDS 57 JUMPING AT THE GALLOP 58 THE EXAGGERATED FORWARD SHOW JUMPING SEAT 60 THE SEAT OVER NATIONAL FENCES 62 THE ACTION OF THE BRIDOON 84 THE ACTION OF THE CURB BIT 85 SHOES FOR HUNTING OR SCHOOLING YOUNG HORSES 98 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS A BROWN GELDING A BAY MARE A BROWN PONY GELDING A BROWN GELDING PAGE A BAY MARE (TYPES) io8 109 no III A BROWN MARE 112 1 1 CAPTAIN P. RODZANKO ON "CODA CORTA" 116 CHAPTER I Much has already been written on this subject, and I do not claim to propound any new theories. There are innumerable books about horse-training, many of which are excellent, but there is a general tendency amongst the readers of such books to become too bigoted in their views, accepting in its entirety the method of one author, and discarding much that is useful in that of another. Some people through love of innovations, others through lack of reasoning, rush at extremes, and if one but cast the right fly, a bright and dazzling one for preference, it seldom fails to attract the unwary and the lazy. In these pages my plea is for mode- ration and for the acceptance of what one considers best from well-known books on horse-training. Finally, experience must be our best and most reliable teacher. I once asked the Commandant at Saumur if 13 14 TRAINING YOUNG their system was based on the same lines as Fillis', who was then at the St. Petersburg Cavalry School. I was answered by an apt reproach. '*No!" he said; "the training at Saumur is the product of the old haute ecole of France, progressively widened, im- proved, and kept up to date. Should we find in Fillis or other exponents any new idea that might be worthy of acceptance, we might try it and perhaps accept it. But to accept in entirety the method of one man would be to forfeit our experience of centuries. The experience of centuries is a priceless heritage." Space must necessarily prevent discussion on certain points, which are open to argument. In such cases I must ask my readers to regard any assertions that are not proved to be such as are sufficiently obvious, or requiring too technical discussion for a book of this description. No doubt there are many methods, other than those that I shall suggest, which possibly are equally good or even more adapted to special circumstances. I shall endeavour to lay down a basis for training on broad lines, so that a reader may have a sound idea as to how he should start HORSES TO JUMP 15 on an entirely unschooled young horse and as to the best means of finishing one that has passed the early stages. I have found the methods I advocate successful and trust that any one following them will meet with equal success. I shall deal first with the education of the young horse that is to become a first-class hunter, with a few notes on show jumping at the end. The riding of young horses is an excellent nerve tonic, and besides improving one's horsemanship, it helps to keep down the stable expenses if the young horses remain sound and can be sold at a fair profit. Most men, who ride sufficiently well, like to have at least one young horse to make or finish during the winter. Certainly the horse that one has made oneself, and which is in absolute sympathy with its rider, is a greater pleasure to hunt than a similar horse trained by another. i6 TRAINING YOUNG POINTS TO OBSERVE WHEN SELECTING A HORSE It is not now proposed to discuss the choice of a horse. They go in all shapes, though personally I prefer a good-looking one. But I strongly advise the intending buyer to make sure that his contemplated purchase moves low and s?noothly in his gallop, swinging freely from his loins and shoulders. Secondly that, given a good take-off over a stiff though possibly small fence, the horse gives its rider a good feel when he jumps. If he fails in these two tests, he will neither be a really big fencer nor a good ride. If, owing to youth- fulness or lack of training, these tests must be dispensed with, the buyer is entirely dependent upon breeding and looks. In any case, he should always see the horse walk to and from him in a straight line, and make certain that he has straight limbs, level action and free move- ments of his joints without brushing. CONDITION I would further suggest that when possible young horses should be bought early in the summer, or, better still, at the end of the previous winter. This will give sufficient time HORSES TO JUMP 17 to condition and train them, and, if they have ah-eady been hunted, a better opportunity to correct their previous faults before the coming hunting season. Age and condition are the first considerations that must be taken into account. It is neces- sary to bring the young horse on to hard food gradually, and his exercise must be in proportion to his condition. Plenty of slow exercise is essential. {Sec " Feeding," p. 94.) I cannot emphasize too strongly the importance of moderation with regard to conditioning and the amount of work to be given to a young horse. His training must be progressive and by no means hurried. Good manners are essential for all horses, if they are to be a pleasure to the rider. Patience and common-sense are the guiding factors to attain these requirements. BALANCE " Balance." There is often such a miscon- ception of this essential requirement in horse training that a few words here are necessary. A certain degree of balance is essential for all riding horses. Apart from jumping, balance makes a horse less likely to pull, more agreeable TRAINING YOUNG W. A. Rough Fig. Copyright THE BIG DOUBLE AT PUNCHESTOWN This photograph shows how a horse has to shift his balance and use his hocks when jumping a bank to ride and more likely to stand the wear and tear of work. The Italians maintain that any attempt to lighten the horse's forehand is unnecessary and advocate complete liberty of rein throughout the training. Their horses, consequently, do by far the greater part of their work on their forehands and seldom have what we would HORSES TO JUMP 19 consider a good mouth. We know that with their methods they produce wonderful fencers and show jumpers. Are we to accept their theories on training in entirety? I think certainly not, although I know many men who have done so both at home and on the Continent. Again I ask for moderation. To accept the Italian theory would mean that one fails entirely to understand the true mean- ing of " balance," although, as opposed to the old haute dcole idea of balance, the Italian method is obviously preferable. The former was attained in a riding school and produced permanent lightness in front in all movements. The head and neck were raised to the maximum height and then bent from the poll. The higher the carriage of the head the more accentuated the curve of the neck. The haunches were continually kept well under the horse to raise his forehand and the head kept what was termed a fixed profile. The horse became gradually muscle-bound in his loins and shoulders. Balance of this nature, or akin to this, prevented the horse from using his powers of extension and accen- tuated the difficulty of propelling the body over a fence. 20 TRAINING YOUNG By permission of Capt. Paul Rodzaitko, Chevaliers ^^ardes, Russia Fig. 2 This picture shows the extension of the head in conjunction with the fore-legs. A young horse with a light mouth will soon learn t ■> jump a wide place with confidence if he knows tiiat he is going to have freedom of his head Owing to the head being raised and bent at the poll, the muscleVhich extends the shoulder- joint and controls the free forward movements HORSES TO JUMP 21 of the fore-limbs became contracted,* and conse- quently the horse's energy was spent in high action and pawing the air. It is a fact that a horse at full gallop can never extend his fore-feet beyond a plummet-line dropped from his nose. Obviously a horse balanced on the above lines becomes useless as a practical fencer. What is required is balance in a wider sense, namely, a horse that knows how and when to raise his forehand and bring his weight back, and how and when to lower his head and bring his weight forward. The former is required at the slower paces and when stopping, and the latter when extending himself and to assist him when jumping. To attain this kind of balance it is necessary to get a horse up in front and back on his haunches in moderation ; at the same time give him frequent periods of extended work with a free rein. It will be necessary for him to work at all paces both up and down hill. Let him jump plenty of small banks and small * This muscle that advances the fore-limbs originates from the back of the head and the first four bones of the neck and runs down to the humerus or lower bone of the shoulder. When the neck is bent to any great degree this muscle is artificially shortened and the action of the shoulders and fore- limbs is contracted. 22 TRAINING YOUNG fences on the slope of a hill. This up and down hill work teaches horses to balance and extend themselves in a way that is unattainable on the flat, and also improves their shoulders very considerably. Horses jumping down hill learn to land lightly without pitching forward. I think a sound understanding of balance is so necessary that I will give two examples. The action of jumping slowly on and off a bank clearly exemplifies my meaning. The particular effort required is the reason why most Irish hunters have a fair natural balance, though they are generally unfinished. Coming up to the bank the horse in steadying himself brings his weight back and almost simultaneously raises his forehand to scramble up the bank. At the same time it will be found that he has brought his hocks under him to propel himself upwards. When he has raised his forehand he extends his head to help him to bring his hind-legs on to the bank. On the top he collects himself again, then throws his weight forward to enable him to extend himself and get clear over the ditch on the far side of the bank. Thus it will be seen that he is learning to balance himself both in bringing his weight back and forward. HORSES TO JUMP 23 Fig. 3 The horse is learning to bring his weight back and support it on his hocks, which come well under him as he moves or stands on the hill. The rider's hand must keep the horse's head raised and a pressure of the legs must keep the horse's hindquarters under him Again, one can walk, trot or canter down a hill, but preferably starting the practice at the slowest pace. Halfway down the hill, feel the reins and raise the horse's head, closing one's legs against the horse's side and leaning one's own body back. D 24 TRAINING YOUNG One will soon find that the horse learns to bring his weight back, and that his hocks will come naturally underneath him going down the hill. Thus he combines raising his fore- hand and pulling up on his haunches, in pre- ference to pulling up so that his weight and the force of propulsion are born on the fore- limbs. I trust that these two simple examples may have proved both the necessity and the possi- bility of obtaining balance in moderation. BITS The important point regarding the use of bits is the necessity of not interfering with a young horse's mouth when he is actually jumping. There is nothing better than a good snaffle for schooling a youngster in the early stages. For this reason we find it the almost universal bridle in Ireland. But though a snaffle is preferable for the early education of a jumper, I would seldom if ever, except for racing, continue to ride a horse in a snaffle. Many people, chiefly through ignorance, believe that a snaffle is essentially the best bit for hunting, and no doubt it may be more suitable for a rider with what Surtees described HORSES TO JUMP 25 and John Leach admirably depicted as a " washball seat." But these conditions do not apply to the readers of this book. I have seen a man ride over the biggest banks in a certain Irish Hunt, with his horse in a gag and a long cheek-bit. When he first appeared he was looked upon by the field as some mad or io-norant stranger. But after having' had a good view of his heels in a fast twenty-five minutes they quickly changed their opinions, and I have no doubt that some of them at any rate profited by the lesson. This parti- cular horse was a charming ride, bitted as he was, but unwieldy and unbalanced in a snaftle. Generally speaking, a medium double bridle is the bit I like a young horse to go in when he is finished. This must not be understood as a hard-and-fast rule, for the severity of the bit must be in proportion to the lightness of the horse's mouth and the flexibility of his neck. I think there is undoubtedly a danger of horses, that bridle too freely and are over-bent, be- coming affected in the wind. Certainly cases occur of horses whistling in a double bridle but not in a snaffle, or at any rate they are at times more difficult to detect as whistlers in the latter bit. 26 TRAINING HORSES TO JUMP The young horse must be gradually taught to face his bit. If he is not up to it, he will neither jump nor gallop freely when ridden in a double bridle, but when this is attained the advantages over the snaffle are many. The horse must ride lighter. He is more easily collected, more readily brought back to the hand, and his stride can, if necessary, be shortened, the bending of the neck at the poll mechanically shortening the stride. CHAPTER II FIRST LESSONS FREE JUMPING, &c. The first lessons may be given without a man on the horse's back. For this free jumping several methods are useful. For the first lesson a small bank is almost the best obstacle. The trainer should have his horse so that he will lead freely. An occasional mouthful of oats given to a young horse by his trainer will soon induce him to follow kindly. The trainer will then start by walking over quite a small bank, leading the horse on a cavesson or rein attached to the nose-band. If the horse is inclined to play up it may be necessary to attach the rein to the snaffle. Sometimes an assistant may be required to drive the horse on from behind. On no account must the trainer keep looking back towards the horse he is leading, or in all probability the latter will stop. After incredibly few times the horse will be found to negotiate the banks 27 28 TRAINING YOUNG kindly and with ease. Each time he should be rewarded with sugar or oats. In this manner a horse can be led over all sorts of small obstacles, but at the commencement it is essential that they should be very small. For instance, a pole on the ground, which should only be heightened very gradually when the youngster shows sufficient ability and confidence. It is the horse that has absolute confidence in himself that becomes the brilliant hunter. TEACHING THE HORSE TO JUMP IN THE LONG REINS The following method may often be found more convenient than the last described. The fence will be placed as in the sketch with a triangular wing along which the reins will slide HORSES TO JUMP 29 as the horse jumps the fence. First of all the horse must be taught to go kindly on either circle in the long reins. When the trainer finds the horse has settled down quietly, for example on a left-handed circle, he will manipu- late the reins so as to bring himself (the centre of the circle) to the position X. When he is standing at this point, the horse moving on the left-handed circle must cross the line AB. It is best to start the practice at a walk and let the first obstacle the horse encounters be a pole on the ground or something of that nature. The long reins may be on the noseband, but if the horse gets out of control it will be best to put the reins on the snaffle rings with the outer rein over the horse's neck. In any case it will be wise to drive him over in this manner when he has learned to jump w^ell with the reins on the nose-band. It is advisable to reverse the wing and make the horse jump whilst circling to the right as well as to the left. This will teach him to jump with equal facility with whichever leg he is leading at a canter. His efforts must be liberally rewarded. A FREE LANE OR MANEGE A third method is jumping entirely free in a lane. Personally I dislike using the straight 30 TRAINING YOUNG lane with fixed jumps, though undoubtedly excellent results have been obtained with a certain percentage of young horses trained in this way. If a free lane is used, I think an oblong or Oblong Manege, 50 x 25 yards, with six fences elliptical manege with no fixed jump, except possibly a ditch, is by far the best. It is advisable not to have any upright jump at all in the manege for the first one or two lessons. The horse must first understand what is required of him when he is put in the manege. For this purpose the trainer will stand in the centre with a long whip to keep the horse on the move. He must first be taught to go round the manage free at all paces to either hand, by which he will soon learn to take the bends HORSES TO JUMP 31 cleverly with either leg leading- at a canter. During this time he will also learn to under- stand the words "walk," "trot" and "canter." The turns at both ends teach the horse to collect himself as he comes round into the straight and will soon prevent him from attempting to rush. If he tries to whip round, and not go on the required circle, he must be instantly checked. About the third day a jump can be put in. By degrees more numerous and larger obstacles can be placed at various distances from the turns so that he obtains practice in judging his distance when suddenly coming on a jump. It is necessary to commence with a small but solid obstacle so that the horse will not attempt more than once to chance a fence. For a horse that takes off too close to a fence a guard rail just off the ground will be found useful to correct this fault. Young horses will sometimes be found, when jumping, to get their noses right down between their knees, at the same time often failing to get their hocks properly under them and to raise their forehand properly. On the other hand, if they jump big and well with their weight very far forward they are apt to over- jump themselves. Although, of course, con- 32 TRAINING YOUNG siderable liberty of rein is essential, this is a bad habit, and this mistaken effort of the horse should be checked by putting- on a dumb jockey. On no account must the reins on the dumb jockey be so short as to stop his freedom in jumping, but merely to suggest a higher carriage of the head. They can then be shortened up gradually. It is a good plan for those horses who appear to bungle their fences, and are unable to judge their distance properly, to place a bar one foot high at seven yards from the obstacle. The horse will then at the canter have to jump the bar, take one stride and jump the obstacle. It also helps to balance a young horse, by putting several bars at seven yards apart and perhaps one at four yards. In the latter space the horse will not take an extra stride, but will have to change his legs and jump. This is, I believe, continually practised in Italy. In the early stages and, in fact, throughout all the training, all possible excitement should be avoided. This is most important and can only be arrived at by starting with very small obstacles jumped at a very slow pace, even at a walk. As the horse's ability and confidence increase the obstacles can be made corre- spondingly more difficult. If a young horse is HORSES TO JUMP 33 refusing through nervousness the rider must show the greatest patience and, if possible, lower the fence and reward the horse liberally when he eventually jumps it. The idea is to teach the horse to like jumping, Copyright Fig. 4. HORSES LANDING OVER A FENCE They are jumping well. Both the riders themselves and the horses' heads are in the positions most suited for jumping with ease and galloping on without checking and to pop over a fence as quietly and kindly as he would go down a road. Now, an old horse may often be useful to give a lead to a youngster jumping free, but this is by no means necessary if the schooling has been systematically progressive — in fact, it may 34 TRAINING YOUNG even be harmful. The old horse will generally want to go faster than the youngster should at the commencement of his training, in which case the services of the former should be dis- pensed with. The length of time that a young horse should be kept jumping free depends upon the following points : I. His condition and state of his legs. II. The state of the ground, good or otherwise. III. His age and the weight of the rider who is training him. IV. Whether he has shown himself pro- ficient, jumping free or not. Generally, if the horse is fresh on his legs and fit to carry his rider, there is no object in con- tinuing to jump him free. Personally, I would not jump some horses free at all, but one must make allowances for the above conditions. If the youngster has been schooled free on the lines suggested, he should not have contracted bad habits, such as rushing at his fences, jumping out of his stride, getting his head lower than is required to balance himself properly over the fences. HORSES TO JUMP 35 The horse eventually has to jump with a man on his back, so he must necessarily learn to balance himself differently under these new conditions. For this reason it is not advisable to continue free jumping longer than may be required by any special circumstances. CHAPTER III SELECTION OF OBSTACLES SCHOOLING MOUNTED The fences must be selected exactly on the same lines as for free jumping. Never attempt a larger fence with a young horse if he has failed to jump successfully and with confidence a small one. A horse, like a man, when he has lost confidence in himself is unreliable. DISPENSING WITH WINGS Thus, by starting over small obstacles and only increasing the size as the horse becomes perfect, it will be found quite possible to dispense with wings. They will be quite unnecessary, for now, when ridden up to a fence, the horse's inclination from habit will be to jump it. When driven into his bridle his inclination is to canter or gallop, and jumping is merely rather more exertion ; but he must know that the effort is not going to cause him any pain, 36 TRAINING HORSES TO JUMP 37 W. A. Rough Copyright Fig. 5. SCHOOLING OVER A GATE WITHOUT WINGS Horses trained in this manner can be relied to jump exactly where the rider puts them at the fence. There is no difficulty in training them in this way and he must be confident of his own prowess. If schooled over fences without wings your horse can be relied upon to jump exactly where you put him at a fence w^hen he is out hunting. Often one sees the necessity for this. Only quite recently I saw a man knock down two unfortunates at two consecutive fences. One 38 TRAINING YOUNG of them happened to be Captain Burns-Hartopp, who is rather large to be trifled with in this manner. The offender himself soon came to grief by jinking off into a gap that was wired, and so ended his exhilarating gallop. I mention this instance as furnishing con- vincing proof of the necessity for a reliable straight jumper, and dispensing with wings W. A. Rough Copyright The danger of a horse that persists in jumping the gaps. Fortunately in this particular instance the fallen horse and man were cleared HORSES TO JUMP 39 when schooling is an excellent and certain method of attaining this desideratum. I suppose we have all of us, when travelling in a railway carriage, chosen our own line and picked out places at the fences in an imaginary run, as the train goes through a hunting Ily /'crmiision of Capt. Paul Rodzanko Fig. 7 Schooling without wings is carried to a fine art in Italy 40 TRAINING YOUNG country : our imaginary horses never tire, falter or refuse, and we negotiate rails, banks, cut and laid fences and bullfinches with equal facility ; even navigable rivers and canals are taken on in a manner that would do justice to the Spring Captains of Surtees. Now, the real thing is not quite so easy. As a small boy one was seldom if ever taught how to present a horse at a fence or how to sit over a fence. There was the inevitable golden rule which apparently never failed — " sit back" — so we sat back, and there was little moderation about it. Sometimes the youthful rider would commence to sit back half-way across the field, anticipating the unpleasantness of a fall. Often the horse would mistake the laying back for the signal to stop, and this he did when he got to the fence. Sometimes we did not sit back far enough, and so got jumped off. Generally if our horses took off sooner than we expected, we received a shock of surprise, and this shock reacted even more on our horse's mouth. PRESENTING A YOUNG HORSE AT A FENCE CORRECTLY We now approach dangerous ground, for Mr. Jorrocks said, "That there was no young man HORSES TO JUMP 41 wot would not rather have a h imputation on his morality than on his 'ossmanship." In fact, he is sometimes rather flattered by the former. PACE Presenting a young horse at a fence for his very first lesson should be done at a walk, then at a trot, over the smallest possible obstacles. When he shows absolute confidence, he can go at a collected canter, but to get confidence in himself he must always learn to jump slowly at first. He can easily be taught to go faster later, and if given a nice free head at a canter a young horse wilPsoon learn to extend himself well over ditches, etc. Slow jumping will teach him to jump off his hocks and arch his back over a fence as a hunter should do. STICKY FENCERS In approaching the fence young horses may have one of \.\\o faults ; either they are inclined to be sticky or to rush. If anything the former is preferable and is the easier for the rider to deal with. It generally means that the youngster is careful and will look after himself. When coming to the fence he must be driven well up to his bit by the rider's legs, but on no account must his mouth be interfered with TRAINING YOUNG ^ kJ ^ h'-( { 1 If- Two chasers — one jumping kindly and the other with his mouth being interfered with and consequently his balance. Chasers are trained to take a strong hold racing over their fences, but this is not the case with hunters. The picture is from a photograph taken at f'unches- town. If this effect is produced on a chaser, it is obvious that a violent jerk like this would be very disastrous when schooling a young horse with a light mouth when actually jumping, otherwise he will afraid to jump out when required. be HORSES TO JUMP 43 The pressure, or more extreme use of the rider's legs besides driving on the horse, will tend to keep his hocks under him. Thus a sticky horse will generally be found to jump well off his hocks, propelling himself upwards as well as forwards over the fence. Such horses can easily be sharpened up, especially in company with others, provided the rider is fairly strong. HORSES THAT RUSH AT THEIR FENCES The case of the young horse that is inclined to rush at his fences is not quite so easy to deal with, but if his early training has been on the right lines this should seldom occur. The young horse generally rushes from nervous- ness; possibly from the jump being something that he dreads and which he is anxious to get over. Light hands and considerable patience are necessary to correct this bad habit. Young horses that have been trained to jump wildly must be treated in similar manner to those that have learned to rush from nervousness. In this case the rider must endeavour to regain the horse's confidence : let him understand that he will not be hit, nor will his mouth be interfered with, so that he has nothing to fear. He must be given plenty of jumping at a w^alk, 44 TRAINING YOUNG backwards and forwards over small obstacles, and in a short time he will cease to show undue excitement. At the trot or canter he must be circled round in front of the fence as though he was going to jump it, and then when he has settled down he can be popped over once and circled round again. He must be taught to stand quietly in front of a fence, then reined back a couple of lengths and, if he still shows considerable excitement, slowly walked up to the fence again. The rider must be careful not to overtax the horse's tempera- ment by reining back too often (once or twice is enough as a rule). Eventually instead of walking up to the fence he can jump it with the two lengths' run, which is quite sufficient for a small fence. On no account must the horse be jumped over too big an obstacle if he is still inclined to rush at a small one. Very often this class of horse will try and jump without getting his hocks sufficiently under him. HORSES THAT ARE UNABLE TO ATTAIN THEIR CORRECT BALANCE WHEN JUMPING The slower the pace (either at a trot or canter) at which he comes up to the fence, the more HORSES TO JUMP 45 easy it will be to keep his hocks under him. Similarly, reining back puts a horse on his hocks before presenting him at the fence. Jumping slowly downhill will also teach him to keep his hocks under him when taking off at a fence. A series of small obstacles from one to three feet high at seven yards apart is useful for bringing horses back on their hocks and tends to check them of the habit of landing with too much of their weight on their forehand. STANDING MARTINGALES SAFE TO SCHOOL IN, BUT NOT RECOM- MENDED FOR HUNTING Not infrequently on the other hand one comes across a young horse that jumps with his head up and his weight too far back. Such a horse will often land on his hind-legs first ; he cannot extend himself well, and will consequently leave his hind-legs in the ditches out hunting. The best treatment in this case is to school the horse for several days, or as long as is required, in a snaffle, and when a double bridle is resumed it must not be too severe and the curb chain must be fairly loose. It may sometimes even be necessary to school w^ith a standing martin- gale on the nose-band to keep the horse's head down. 46 TRAINING YOUNG Figures 9 and Thebe pictures show the necessity for a free head when the horse is actually jumping. The horse's balance in each case is wrong as the weight is not brought sufficiently far forward. In each case note the obvious effort on the part of the horse. If the head was lowered he could more easily raise his hindquarters and then extend his fore-limbs when landing. This is a frequent failing with light-mouthed horses, but less common with horses that are heavy on the hand HORSES TO JUMP 47 II1C rider must also assist the horse to lower his head and get his weight forward. lie can do this by giving the horse complete liberty of rein when he is jumping, and at the same time keeping his own weight forward off the horse's loins. The horse relieved of the weight behind will learn to bring his hindquarters higher, and his head being free he will learn to extend it instead of lifting it up. He will thus soon attain his true balance over the fences and consequently land correctly. Fig. II The rider's seat is exaggerated in the endeavour to teach the horse to get his weight forward. Ilis attempt is apparently successful, though the hind-limbs appear to drag behind 48 TRAINING HORSES TO JUMP RUNNING MARTINGALES Running martingales assist in bringing a horse under control. They should not be too tight to interfere with his freedom. With a double bridle the martingale should generally be attached by the rings to the bit reins, and should have no bearino' on the rein when the head is placed correctly. THE VALUE OF UP AND DOWN HILL WORK Work uphill puts muscle on behind the saddle, but much galloping uphill tends to shorten a horse's stride. On the other hand, if a horse is occasionally well-extended down a gentle slope, he will learn how to make full use of his shoulders. CHAPTER IV THE RIDER'S SEAT Before g'oing farther it is necessary to discuss the rider's seat. For the man who hopes to make young horses successfully there are two considerations affecting the seat over a fence. 1. Assistance to the horse, and 2. The rider's own balance. Let us try to picture a good horseman putting a young horse over a fence at a canter. Most young horses require to be steadied on coming up to a fence. Our rider will bring him up at a collected canter ; by not allowing the horse to extend himself now he just keeps him back on his hocks. Two to three lengths from the fence the rider lowers his hands, giving the horse a freer rein but of course keeping contact with his mouth. This enables the horse to slightly lower his head the more easily to judge his distance and, if necessary, lengthen his stride- He gives the horse the so-called office t:) jump in accordance with its temperament. Experience 49 50 TRAINING YOUNG alone can teach us the best method to employ Copy I ighl Illus'rations Bureau Fi( A fine bold fencer. Note the propulsion that has been given by the hind-limbs and the extension of the horse's head and neck. The rider's weight is practically over the horse's centre of gravity. The rider is in a position to lean his weight back or remain in the same position as circumstances may require with each horse. Young horses generally want a little driving the last length, so the rider will close his legs the stride before the take-off and again deliberately at the take-off stride. HORSES TO JUMP 51 Some horses require to be driven i.vell into fJicir bridles right up to the time they take off. Others merely require the rider to sit still and give them their heads. Thus the so-called "giving the office" varies with different horses. The rider should be leaning slightly forward coming up to the fence, i.e. the ordinary position at the gallop. The weight is thus off the back of the saddle and carried at a fixed point (roughly about the dees of the stirrup leathers). The rider should be holding the greater part of his weight on his thighs and knees, thus permitting the low^er part of his leg to be free to drive on his horse if necessary. This is most important. If the lower part of the leg is stiff it is lost as a means of propulsion to a young horse. If the leg is kept forward and stiff, there are several disadvantages, especially if the rider is a long-legged man. Firstly, on landing the greater part of the rider's weight is borne on the stirrup, which is forward of the centre of gravity, and consequently comes too much on the horse's forehand landing. Secondly, if the horse makes a bad mistake the rider may be thrown violently forward and, the pivot from the stirrup being longer than from the knee, the violence with which the rider's body is 52 TRAINING YOUNG thrown forward is increased (with the leg stuck out straight) and he has less chance of recovery. In the case of a short-legged jockey these points are of small account. Thirdly, it is impossible Fig. 13 Good position of the rider in no way exaggerated. The position of the weight appears to be constant, which must help the horse for the rider to bring his weight forward when required if the lower part of the leg is kept forward and the knee stiff. As the horse raises his forehand our rider inclines his body forward with the movement of his horse, because he wishes to assist his horse. Any horse that has been schooled HORSES TO JUMP slowly can raise his forehand to siderable height. Note the ease 53 a very con- with which By fermission of C apt. Paul Rodzanko Fig. 14 This picture shows the horse in the act ot propelling the body from the ground. The effort is borne from the loins downwards. Notice the straightening of the hock and pasterns and the final propulsion given by the toes. Here again the horse is assisted by the rider's weight being brought forward all horses can rear up in front to a great height, but it is a much greater effort to raise their hindquarters up to a similar height. As the hindquarters are raised the weight is still thus kept off the back part of the saddle to assist the horse, whose chief effort is to propel 54 TRAINING YOUNG himself upwards with his hind-limbs, when the forehand is still in the air.* As the hind-limbs are coming up and the horse is in mid-air, he is preparing and balancing himself to land. ACTION OF THE HANDS Consequently he will now wish to extend his head for this purpose. Unless he is a horse that continuously holds his head out, the rider jiiiist be prepared to give him more rein as he is landing. It is easier for him to do this if he is now not sitting back. In fact, it is not necessary for him to sit back till the horse is actually landing. Raising his weight off the back part of the saddle prevents the rider from feeling any concussion from the horse's efforts, should he have jumped awkwardly, and consequently he will not jerk his horse on the mouth — this is most important when schooling a youngster. * In the gallop, on the other hand, the chief effort is borne by the leading fore-leg. As is shown in the diagram, the body rotates over the foot with the limb rigid all the way down to the fetlock. Finally, by a muscular bracing of the leg the body is propelled forwards to position (i) when all the legs are off the ground. If the weight of the rider is not forward the horse's effort is accentuated, and the hind-legs also are hampered in their action of primary propulsion, since they gain impetus by coming as far forward as possible. HORSES TO JUMP S5 I] ._ (%j fViC- The above diagrams show how the greatest effort of the horse is borne on the leading foreleg. Vide figures 6, 61, 7, i and 2. In jumping the chief effort is borne by the hind-limbs and hocks. In either case the farther back the weight is put on the hoise, the greater is the e.xertion required of him n 56 TRAINING YOUNG As the horse is landing the rider can easily lean his body back; or if he thinks his horse will drop his hind-legs in a ditch, he can still keep his weight forward to assist his horse. In W. A. Rouen Copyiight Fig. is Fugleman and Manaton dead-heat for the Newbury Cup 1507. It is interesting to compare the positions of ihe horses with the diagrams of the liorse galloping. It is now realized that the horse is assisted in his gallop by carrying the weight of the rider forward as seen in the picture. The reason for this is obvious if one examines the locomotive action of the horse in diagram 5,6, 6a,7. Wi'hthe modern seat it appears that horses are 1 -ss und r control th in was previously the case either case his weight will not go beyond the horse's centre of gravity. The hands should be kept low the whole time and the horse should not be pulled up abruptly on landing, for fear he should mistake it for punishment. HORSES TO JUMP 57 It is advisiiblc not to ride too long' when schooling, as the seat is strengthened by riding rather on the short side. The stirrups, if used w K^^«^^_. K-r a viMHlH HHHK^.--^-'' Bi W. A. RoucH Copyright This horse requires a lot of head ; the rider is letting his hands go forward to give him sufficient rein. Possibly he might have ridden with a longer rein correctly, are a means of strengthening the seat. If the heel is kept down and the sole of the foot turned very slightly outwards it will be found that any weight on the stirrups will only assist to force the knees closer to the saddle. This argument may appear difticult to follow, but if, on the other hand, the soles of the feet 58 TRAINING YOUNG are turned in towards the horse, and weight is put on the stirrups, it will be found that the W. A. Rough Copyright Fig. 17 A free fencer jumping at the gallop, and from the impetus thus gained there is no great necessity to help the horse by keeping the rider's weight forward on the saddle knees are mechanically forced away from the saddle. The important points with regard to the seat described are : (i) The weight during the actual jump is fixed roughly over the horse's centre of HORSES TO JUMP 59 gravity (this is, of course, only approxi- mate as the centre of gravity moves during locomotion), which helps the horse to balance himself. Under these conditions he should jump as well as when free. (2) The lower part of the legs are free to be applied to the horse when necessary. (3) It is easy to give the horse more rein if required ; also to give him the office at the right moment. (4) There is small likelihood of interfering with the horse's balance by inadvertently touching his mouth. (5) The horse's hindquarters are free ; he can easily raise his forehand if i\\Q position of the weight carried is constant. (6) The rider can lean forward or back as required on landing. (7) He can never be jumped off or be unseated by a horse taking off previous to his anticipation. His seat being just off the saddle he does not feel the concussion as he would if sitting down in the saddle. Still, it is important not to exaggerate the forward seat, or it will, like the laying-back seat, be found to have its drawbacks. 6o TRAINING YOUNG I once asked a well-known officer after a race how he managed to fall at the first fence. He told me that he was trying the Italian seat. Of course it was rather a bad occasion to By permission of Capt. Paid Rodzankj Fig. i8 An exaggerated forward seat typical of show jumping experiment with a new style, still one does see it done chasing now, and always over hurdles. Personally I think people are apt to be misled by watching show jumping, when the rider sometimes brings his body iiiore forioard as the horse is clearing the fence and coining HORSES TO JUMP 6i iio7,'/i, the reason being to get the weight well on to the forehand which is over the fence, aiul relieve the hindquarters of all weight, so that the hind-legs may not touch the fence. How the horse lands in this case is quite a secondary consideration. The practice is there- fore unpractical for general purposes. On the other hand, one must not be misled by watching jockeys riding over the National fences. In photographs one observes them leaning back on their horses' quarters, with their feet stuck out by the point of their horses' shoulders. This is an exaggerated effort on the part of the riders to stick on. There is no intention to help the horses. This position would be impossible if it were not for the tremendous impetus of the horses and the fact that they are taught to take a strong hold of their bits. REFUSING HORSES I need hardly say that the greatest care must be taken with regard to shoeing horses that have to jump. Long feet and badly-fitting shoes will soon cause lameness. Carelessness with regard to horses' feet is the origin of most lame- ness. If a horse is to be schooled and jumped in cold blood he must be fresh on his legs. 62 TRAINING YOUNG (i) Pain on landing is the most common cause of refusing, and not only is it brutal but useless to insist on making a horse jump under such conditions. Never school a young horse if the ground is likely to jar him on landing. W. A. Rough Copyright Fig. 19. GLENSIDE AND SHADY GIRL IN THE NATIONAL This picture is of interest. The far horse is Shady Girl ridden by G. Clancy. The mare overjumped herself and fell at this fence. There appears to be little doubt that the numerous falls in recent Nationals are largely due to riding with very short stirrups and not sitting back over the fences. Under these circumstances Clancy's position appeals to be the correct one to adopt. But one must not be misled in believing that this position is applicable for ichooling young hunters, when the rider must shift his weight as little as possible and keep light contact with his horse's mouth. G. Clancy's position on Shady Girl might be described as a determined effort to stick on if the horse should make a bad blunder. This position would be impossible, if it were not for the tremendous impetus of the horses and the fact that they are taught to take a strong hold of their bits. Mr. J. R. Anthony won on Glenside HORSES TO JUMP 63 (2) Some horses refuse from having had their mouths injured by heavy hands when jumping". (3) Some are afraid of their bits, which may be too severe. (4) Others refuse through fear of falling or lack of courage. In each of these cases it is necessary to regain the horse's confidence. Take the horse in hand very quietly, and let him jump over quite small obstacles till he appears to have regained his confidence. This may take several days. If necessary, let him have a lead, and always let him have a free head when in the air. Avoid wearing spurs, and let the horse undergo no physical pain. (5) Horses will refuse if they are continually asked to jump very big obstacles, which is a considerable exertion. On the other hand, they will not become stale if the fences are of a reasonable size and everything else is well with them. (6) There are horses that refuse from temper, generally called " nappy horses," but the temper is always due to one or other of the above causes. One must try and discover the cause, and deal with each case in the most suitable manner. 64 TRAINING YOUNG Horses that have become nappy from being ridden by bad horsemen are the most difficult to deal with. They are best in the hands of a quiet, determined horseman. It is advisable to humour such horses and get on good terms with them. Out hunting they are generally at their best if they get well away with the hounds and are kept with them. On the other hand, some may require a lead till they get warmed up. In either case it is advisable not to try them too high till the rider feels that he and his horse understand one another. The rider by judicious riding must endeavour to make the horse feel that on no account will he get the upper hand. Thus, by starting such a horse off at an exceptionally big fence, the rider may defeat his object at the start. If the horse refuses, he cannot hold him up to the fence and make him jump it at a stand, which he could do if the fence was quite small. It should be remembered that punishment is the last resource, because if this should fail the horse starts one up in the match between man and beast. If punishment is resorted to, it is essential that the horse should be got over the fence somehow : this, of course, will not be possible if the fence is a very big one. If a horse runs out, say, left-handed at a fence, HORSES TO JUMP 65 never turn him round to the left before pre- senting him at the fence again, but rather turn him round to the right, or rein him quietly back for two or three lengths and then push him forward. When ridden in company young horses will seldom refuse, but the riders must bear in mind that slow jumping is the basis of good jumping. Unlike a chaser, a hunter must jump with equal ease at whatever pace he happens to be ridden at a fence. The sharpen- ing up of a horse is easily accomplished in company with others, but the best chasers have to learn to jump slowly at first. Unlike the latter, the hunter must learn to arch his back over a fence. I remember riding a young hunter several years ago who showed abso- lutely no aptitude for jumping in hunter form. However, he took to the other game, and since those days he has won two Grand Militaries. Some horses are apt to jump one-sided when going fast, generally left-handed. There are several reasons for this. They may have been badly ridden, they may prefer landing on a particular leg, or they may contract the habit when taking off too close to a fence. So as to give themselves more room they jump at an angle to the fence instead of going straight. In the early stages this can be corrected by 66 TRAINING YOUNG jumping them on a circle with the long reins. When ridden they must be driven well up to their bits and held straight with the reins. This fault is more troublesome in the case of a steeplechaser than a hunter. The former may be got right in the hands of a strong rider, but with a weak horseman such horses will become a source of danger to the other competitors in a race. THE AMOUNT OF SCHOOLING A YOUNG HORSE MAY BE GIVEN If the reader schools on the lines I have suggested he can let his horse jump four days a week without any fear of his becoming stale. The action of jumping muscles a horse and helps to balance him. Poor Dugdale, late of the 1 6th Lancers, whose sad death took place last December near Rome, in a report he sent home, wrote: " It is impossible to lay down any rule about the rate of progression ; at Pinerolo it seems extraordinarily slow, but the result is that all horses jump exceptionally well. Start with a bar on the ground, go over this at all paces until the horse has absolute confidence, and then raise the bar a notch at a time. For the first six weeks at Pinerolo the bar was never raised more than one foot from the HORSES TO JUMP 67 ground. The Italian motto is * Patience and Progression.' The final result is that no horse ever refuses or rushes." This extract gives some idea of the pains that Continental riders take to reach perfection in training their horses. As a rough guide I will put down a reasonable period required for schooling a young horse bought, say, in June. July. Commence with careful conditioning. Mouthing, balancing, quiet riding. This, of course, will be continued during the training. August. Free or dismounted jumping. If the horse is Jit and in the hands oj a competent horseman, mounted schooling is preferable in my opinion, but only under these conditions, and carried out on the lines previously suggested. During this month a Riding School will be found most useful as the going outside will be unsuitable for schooling. September. Further advanced schooling, the obstacles being varied as much as possible. Opening gates. Should the ground permit, small obstacles, ditches, banks, and natural fences may be jumped. The horse requires daily at 68 TRAINING YOUNG least two hours slow work to condition him. October. Schooling with other horses out of doors. Jumping faster. Shown hounds. Dogs or goats kept in the stable will generally make young horses accustomed to hounds and prevent them kicking. With an excitable young horse, it is preferable that he should not be galloped the first few times with hounds. We want him to like hounds, but not to go mad with them. When he has been out several times, at a suitable opportunity he should be allowed to extend himself right out, after which in all probability he will come back willingly to your hand again. The rider, having careful regard to the temperament of his horse, must use his own discretion in introducing him to hounds. November. Two hours with hounds is quite sufficient for a young horse (5 years old)^ and the meet should be handy. Now we will assume that our rider has got his horse reasonably accustomed to hounds during October cubbing, and an early frost has to some extent cleared the fences. He has HORSES TO JUMP 69 previously, on several occasions, followed at the tail of the field, jumping the gaps and fences slowly and deliberately. The time has come for the youngster to be allowed to slip along in a hunt. It is no longer desired to hold him back, nor should it be necessary with his previous training. The young horse must get well away with hounds, so that he sees and hears them. He will soon be keen to keep with them. The music and sight of hounds redoubles a young horse's confidence in himself. A good scent makes a good fox and a good hunter too. With hounds in front a good fit young horse requires no lead at a strong, forbidding-looking fence. An inherent love to be with the hounds is born in every good horse. One finds it again in his later life, even as a doddering old cripple in a field. The music of hounds will make him prick his ears, snort and trot round the field, forgetting his old age, perhaps only remember- ing his first hunt with hounds. But there is more required than a good start, the rider must at times steady his young horse and, whenever possible, save him in this his first hunt. With a ditch on the near side of a fence leaning towards one, pace is a secondary consideration. 70 TRAINING YOUNG He must look and see the ditch and judge his stride correctly. It is advisable to pick out your place where the edge of the ditch on the take-off side is clearly defined and steady your horse. He has previously been accustomed to having his head free before he reaches the fence, to enable him to look down and correct his stride. He will not forget that lesson now, and the rider will be repaid for the trouble he took in the early schooling. In the same way a young horse should be steadied at open water or rails : it will enable him to get into his proper stride and he will be less likely to slip taking off. At the same time he must be given the office with determination when required. At all fences, but particularly at an upright fence or rails, a good take off is invaluable. It is preferable and safer to jump a large fence with a good take off than a small one where the near side is unsound or slippery. In fact, with horses jumping, as with men, seventy-five per cent, of the difficulty lies in the take off. A young horse may also require to be helped if he is dropping his hind-legs into a ditch by the rider leaning his weight forward on landing. This can easily be done with practice, and may even save a back from being broken. I must conclude with one word of warning. HORSES TO JUMP 71 Though it may not be the rider's fault if he breaks his horse's back, it is if he breaks his horse's heart and rides a youngster to a stand- still. We may all have done it, but it is criminal. For the benefit of fox-catchers, I must append some, of the verses from " The Dream of an old Meltonian," by W. Bromley Davenport, M.P., which describes a hunt on a youngster : Hes away, I can hear the identical holla ! I can feel my young thorobrecl strain down the ride, I can hear the dull thunder of hundreds that follow, I can see my old comrades in life by my side. Do I dream ? All around me I see the dead riding, And voices long silent re-echo with glee ; I can hear the far wail of tJie Master s vain chiding, As vain as the Norseman's reproof of the Sea. Vain indeed I For the biiches are racing before us — Not a nose to the earth — not a stern in the air ; And we know by the notes of that modified chorus How straight we must ride if we wish to be there I K 72 TRAINING YOUNG With a crash on the turnpike, and onward Fm sailing, Released from the throes of the blundering mass, JVhich dispersed right and left as I topped the high railing. And shape my own course der the billowy grass. Select is the circle in which I am moving, Yet open and free the admission to all ; Still, still more select is that con^pany proving IVeeded out by the f linker, and thinned by the fall: Yet here all are equal — no class legislation, No privilege hinders, no family pride : If the '* image of war'' show the pluck of the nation ; Ride, ancient patrician I Democracy ride ! Oh ! gently, my young one ; the fence we are Hearing Is leaning towards us — 'tis hairy and black. The binders are strong and necessitate clearing. Or the wide ditch beyond will find room for your back. HORSES TO JUMP 73 Well saved I IVe are over I Now far down the pastures Of Ashwell the willows betoken the line Of the dull-fl owing stream of historic disasters ; JVe ninst face, my bold young one, the dread JVhissindine. No shallow dug pan with a hurdle to screen it, That cocktail imposture, tJie steeplechase brook : But the] steep broken banks tell us plain, if we mean it, The less we shall like it the longer we look. Then steady, my young one, my place Fve selected. Above the dwarf willow 'tis soimd Fll be bail, With your muscular quarters beneath you collected Prepare for a rush like the " limited mail F Oh I now let me know the full worth of your breeding ; Brave son of Belzoni, be true to your sires. Sustain old traditions — remember your leading The cream of the creatn in the Shire of the Shires I 74 TRAINING YOUNG IVith a quick shortened stride as the distance you measure^ JVith a crack of the nostril and cock of the ear, And a rocketing bound, and were over, my treasure. Twice nine feet of water, and landed all clear ! What, four of us only ? Are these the survivors Of all that rode gaily from Ranksbovo Ridge ? I hear the faint splash of a few hardy divers. The rest are in hopeless research of a bridge ; Vce victis I The way of the world and the winners / Do we neer ride away from a friend in distress ? Alas I we are anti-samaritan sinners, And streaming past Stapleford, onward we press. Ah! don't they mean mischief, the merciless ladies ? What fox can escape stich implacable foes ? Of the sex cruel slaughter for ever the trade is, Whether human or animal — yonder he goes ! Never more for the woodland ! His purpose has failed him, THE DREAM OF AN OLD MELTONIAN Hr-''' HORSES TO JUMP 75 Though to gain the old shelter he gallantly tries ; In vain the last double, for Jezebels nailed him I Who-whoop I In the open the veteran dies I No doubt some readers who have struggled through these pages will say, "All this school- ing is quite unnecessary. Surely horses have always jumped well enough without all these theories and systems ? " But remember there is many a horse that might have been a "top sawyer" if he had not been spoiled when young. Besides, hounds go faster and fences get bigger as we grow older. As a rule the horse is a kind and long-suffering animal, but there are exceptions. Whereas one horse will make it a point of honour to actually catch his rider rather than let him fall, another will give a good buck when he lands to ensure the opposite effect. It is hoped that these sugges- tions may be found applicable when dealing with the exceptions and aid successful results. GLORIA FINIS CHAPTER V SHOW JUMPING In my opinion there is little to add with regard to the training of show jumpers. I believe on the Continent they keep horses especially for show jumping and this class of animal is never hunted. Personally I can see little use or amusement in keeping a horse solely for this purpose, and I would be very sorry to do so. A horse schooled on the lines that I have suggested will probably not only be a good hunter but also a good show jumper. One often hears people say that a horse trained for show jumping is spoiled as a hunter. If this is the case it must be due to some very exceptional training that it has undergone. In the early training we were careful to teach our youngster to jump fast and extend himself. Now this is not essential for an Olympia jumper ; he can go up in the air, dwell there, and land almost on the same spot. Needless 76 TRAINING HORSES TO JUMP ^^ to say this class of show jumper is neither a pleasant nor reliable fencer. As a rule I have found the more highly-trained jumper is the more brilliant fencer, and surely it is a pleasure both to horse and rider, if he sometimes does jump a bit too big. You feel that you have a bit in hand, as you can always go the shortest way. You certainly have a better chance when you come to a really big fence than the rider on a horse that barely jumps big enough. This is probably contrary to the opinion of most men, but I find it gives me more pleasure to ride a bold young horse, that feels like jumping the National Course, than a safe old stager, that has lost the elasticity of youth. A horse that is to perform at Olympia naturally must be schooled in a Riding School, if possible over solid fences, and the more peculiar the fences are in appearance the better. It is ridiculous to expect the ordinary hunter to show his best performance in a school if he has not been used to it. In fact, if he is to be successful he must in all probability start at the beginning and work up gradually like a young horse. He will then learn to jump quietly and go through the monotony of school jumping as a matter of course. He has to 78 TRAINING YOUNG learn to jump slowly and with only a short run, to balance himself, to get his weight forward when required, and to raise his hind- quarters. A standing martingale may often be found useful in training a show jumper that is inclined to jump with his head too high. He will soon learn to correct this fault, if the rider assists him by getting his own weight forward and giving complete liberty of rein when the horse is actually jumping. The rider will often find it necessary to exaggerate both these actions with a horse that appears to jump with his weight too far back, as the whole of show jumping for man and horse is an exagge- rated effort. The horse that rides with too much of his weight in front is more likely to raise his hind-quarters, but perhaps not his forehand, sufficiently. If he can be given one or two falls free he will soon learn that solid fences are not to be trifled with. If this treatment has little eff"ect on him, and he continues to knock the fences with his fore-legs, the chances are that he is not worth training as a show jumper, provided always, of course, that he has had a fair chance, starting over small obstacles at slow paces at the commencement. Remember •'THE EXAGGERATED SEAT" SHOW JUMPING: THE GATE HORSES TO JUMP 79 that a jerk on the horse's mouth when in mid-air will raise the horse's head and down will go his hindquarters, and down will come the railway gates or sleepers, etc. In riding show jumping it is necessary to always ride the horse in the same way, other- wise he cannot consistently show his true form. I found this out from experience lately, when, owing to an injured leg, I was unable to ride the horses in the manner they were accustomed to. Consequently they lost confidence and failed. For this same reason it is inadvisable to put strange riders on to horses when they are show jumping. No matter how good the rider may be, he and the horse will probably take some days to know each other's ways, and, until they do, the horse cannot be expected to jump in his best form. Horses trained for show jumping may roughly be divided into two classes, (i) Horses that perform on their own, and the rider is merely a passenger. Such horses are trained by incessant jumping, and generally take several years before they reach the top of their form. (2) Horses that are carefully trained to obey the rider's hand and leg. They can then be taught to jump in a comparatively short time, 8o TRAINING HORSES TO JUMP The rider can lengthen or shorten the horse's stride as he wishes, consequently Jie watches where the horse is putting his feet, and keeps him on his hocks, and makes him take off when he wishes. This helps the horse to measure the fence, and he will seldom make a bad blunder. Personally I prefer the latter class of horse. In this country, where most officers play polo, they cannot be expected to keep up hunters throughout the summer for show jumping, and most soldiers' horses require a well-earned rest after hunting. The only horses I have ever jumped at Olympia have been troop-horses. No doubt in every regiment there are a considerable number of horses that could be trained successfully for Olympia. The training entails very little time and trouble, and is in no way detrimental to the horse's military career. CHAPTER VI PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE The following chapter is mainly devoted to some few suggestions to prevent, or to deal with, in the first instances, some of the many ailments that young horses are heir to. BANDAGES Extract from " Animal Management." Bandages : (i) Useful as protection from injury when at work ; (2) To keep the legs warm ; (3) Cold-water bandages ; (4) Hot-water ban- dages. (i) Put on from knee to the fetlock and are best made of stockinette. They must not in any way interfere with the joints. (2) From the knees and hocks to the hoof. Should be made of wool and put on as loose as possible. (3) Should be made of linen to keep the limbs cool if required. (4) Should be made of wool. They should be 81 82 TRAINING YOUNG put on fresh at frequent intervals to draw out any inflammation in the first instance. Dry bandages in the stable should be removed at least twice daily to prevent injury from pressure. HOW TO PUT ON BANDAGES Starting from below the knee or hock, unroll sufficient bandage to make one turn round the leg, sloping very gradually down the leg. Keep the bandage close to the leg, and allow it to unroll itself round and down the limb, as low as it is required. From the fetlock or coronet it will naturally take an upward direction, and the unrolling will be continued till it reaches the first point where it was started. The tapes should be tied here (securely for work) on the outside of the leg and the ends tucked in neatly. For work- ing bandages it is advisable for extra security to turn down the corner of the loose end first applied, so that the next turn will hold it fast and prevent it from slipping. Cotton-wool inside working bandages prevents bandage soreness, supports the tendons and ligaments, and tends to minimize concussion if the going is hard. Bandages are sometimes used for sore shins. If used for hunting, bandages HORSES TO JUMP 83 should be sewn on as well as tied, and cotton- wool placed doubly thick on each side of the leg over the suspensory ligaments to equalize the pressure. BOOTS Boots are recommended for schooling young horses. When worn care must be taken that dirt does not get inside and cause irritation. Cotton-wool around the leg inside the boots will prevent this and give additional support to the tendons and ligaments. Boots afford protection from splints and brushing. BRUSHING The latter only occurs at the walk and trot and is due to : 1. Want of condition. 2. Fatigue. 3. Ill-fitting shoes. 4. Deformed limbs (especially turned out toes). Careful preparation of the feet for shoeing is essential. The inside of the shoes may require to be made deeper and feathed-edged shoes may be necessary {see Shoes). 84 TRAINING YOUNG BLOWS. CONTUSION, IMMEDIATE TREATMENT Blows caused, when schooling, by stone walls, etc., should be immediately fomented and hot- FlG. PO The bit and bridoon reins are divided by the width of the hand. The head is here shown raised on the bridoon or snaffle. To exemplify this, the action of the hands is exaggerated water swabs kept on, covered over with oil silk to maintain the heat. When the inflammation is out the enlargement can be reduced to the normal size by frequent hand rubbing. This HORSES TO JUMP 85 must be done before the injury becomes hard and callous. BITS The different actions of the snaffle and bit from Fk;. CI The back of the hands are turned down\vard^. and the bit reins are felt and the head is bent at the poll and the jaw relaxed. The action of the bit should be conveyed to the horse by degrees. He should not be suddenly forced into it and be compelled to obey by the severity of the bit. If this part of the training is hurried the mouth will be spoilt a training point of view are often misunder- stood. 86 TRAINING YOUNG SNAFFLE For training purposes the snaffle should be used to place and keep the horse's head up, and by being played in the corners of the mouth it will prevent a horse from hanging his head on the rider's hands. Some horses will bend to a snaffle, but they are comparatively few. CURB BIT The bit acting on the bars of the mouth induces the horse to bend at the poll, and the lever action of the mouthpiece and the curb chain causes the jaw to be relaxed. This bending and relaxation of the jaw acts as a buffer between the impetus of the horse and the rider's hand. Much patience is often required to obtain this required flexion. Young horses should be ridden with their curb chains quite loose at first or they will develop the tire- some habit of getting their tongues over their bits. Young horses should be occasionally allowed to feed with their bits on in their stables. It teaches them to keep their tongues under their bits and also to mouth themselves freely. A horse that does not froth at the mouth will have a dead mouth, and instead of giving flexion HORSES TO JUMP 87 to the rider's hand will pull and set his jaw. From time to time there has been considerable discussion as to the relative length of the upper and lower branches of the curb bit. It is generally considered for the average hunter the upper branch should be if in. from the bearing of the curb chain to the mouthpiece with the normal cheek or lower branch of 3^ in. To increase severity the lower branch is lengthened. The important point about the upper branch is that it should be of such a length that when the bit is correctly placed in the horse's mouth the curb chain will rest and remain in the chin groove. The careful fitting of bits on young horses is most important, though often neglected. (i) The snaffle should just touch the corners of the mouth. (2) The bar of the bit should normally lay mid- way between the corner teeth and the corners of the mouth, and should be level on both sides. (3) The curb chain must come quite flat into the chin groove when the bit reins are felt. Carelessness or hastiness in putting on a bridle is no doubt the reason for one finding curb chains put on incorrectly. If one was to examine all the horses out hunting in a large M 88 TRAINING YOUNG field one would find an extraordinarily large percentage of them badly bridled. The curb chains in most cases would be either hooked on wrong or they would require another twist before being attached to the curb hook. Correct adjustment of the curb chain is most important, because if it is not quite smooth in the chin groove there will be more pain felt below the jaw than above it, consequently under these conditions a young horse will resent lowering his head and relaxing his jaw.* If the curb chain comes above the chin groove it will cause soreness. A sound guide for judging how tight a curb chain should be is when the reins are felt sufficiently for the curb chain to have a bearing on the chin groove, the cheek of the bit should be at an angle of 45 degrees with the bars of the mouth. If the curb chain is looser the bit will follow through and will not maintain its full lever action. If the curb chain is too tight, the bit becomes more severe and is more or less continuously bearing on the tongue and the bars. This will irritate a young horse, harden his mouth, and possibly make him keep his tongue over the bit. * On an old horse that is inclined to hang on the hands the curb chain may be worn rough. But this is not recommended for young horses. HORSES TO JUMP 89 (4) If the bit is too narrow it will bruise the sides of the horse's mouth and upset his temper. (5) If the bit is too wide it may work to one side of the mouth so that the edge of the port may rest on one of the bars of the mouth ; this will cause an uneven pressure and a one- sided mouth. The curb chain, also, instead of having an even bearing all round the chin groove, will press on one spot and cause soreness. (6) A long cheek and high port increases the severity of the bit. Too high a port may bruise the roof of the mouth. The tongue fitting into the port produces a stronger bear- ing of the bit on the bars of the mouth ; whereas with a straight bar bit a considerable amount of the bearing is taken on the tongue. ONE-SIDED MOUTH Generally a horse is more comfortable with sufficient port to give freedom to his tongue. With a one-sided mouth the bit may be dropped a hole lower on the hard side. COLDS AND COUGHS Young horses coming in from grass to stables are liable to catch colds and coughs, especially if their stables are not well ventilated. The symptoms are a discharge from the nostrils, 90 TRAINING YOUNG and possibly a cough. If the cold is severe there may also be fever, and sometimes the horse may not be able to swallow his food. The horse's comfort should be attended to, and he should not be deprived of fresh air, but be warmly rugged. Steam the head to promote discharge. Rub the throat with embrocation or liniment. A paste of mustard and vinegar applied to the throat will generally relieve a cough. Soft food should be given. The bowels should be kept acting freely. FRESH AIR Fresh air is essential for horses' health, though their coats will appear shiny in a badly-ven- tilated stable, and for this reason grooms often like to keep stables at an excessive temperature with the windows shut. Fresh air prevents and even cures coughs and colds, and consequently,.. owing to the healthy state of the lungs and the horse generally, his wind is less likely to become affected. Stables should never smell stuffy or feel hot. A draught is of course obnoxious. In winter extra food and clothing to maintain warmth is preferable to curtailing the supply of fresh air. HORSES TO JUMP 91 COOLING LOTION For bruises and sprains and splints forming. The lotion should be applied in the treatment of sprains after the first heat and tenderness have passed away. {See Sprains.) A good cooling lotion that is always obtainable is : Spirits of Wine . . 4 oz. Water 8 oz. COLD WATER Running cold water is an excellent method of hardening and strengthening and keeping cold an injured part. CLAY A bucket full of good wet clay is most useful in a stable. It is excellent for keeping the feet cool. If put on immediately there is any symptom of unusual heat, diseases of the feet may often be checked in the first instance. An excellent treatment for polo ponies' legs after a hard game, and equally effective with horses that may have been galloped on hard going, is immediate application of hot-water bandages (a covering of oil silk will help to retain the heat), followed by clay plastered on 92 TRAINING YOUNG the fore-legs one-third of an inch thick, and covered over with wet cold-water linen band- ages, which can be left on for twenty-four hours with the bandages kept wet. I had a bad case of sprained suspensory liga- ment that was treated with applications of wet clay throughout the summer. It was kept on permanently wet for three months. The horse's legs came out in the autumn like a two-year- old's, and he was never troubled again in that way. DISTRIBUTION OF THE HORSE'S WEIGHT The fact that horses wear out their fore-legs, whilst the hind-legs are generally as good in an old horse as they were when he was six years old, is easily explained. When the fore- legs are put on the ground the limbs are straight the whole way down, whereas there is bending and unbending of the hock in the case of the hind-limbs. The excessive strain on the leading fore-leg at the gallop, as shown in the previous diagram, also accounts for lameness. Finally, in the average young horse the fore-legs take more than one-half, about three-fifths, of the total body weight. From J 4 to 28 lb. is taken off the weight on the HORSES TO JUMP 93 fore-legs if the head be raised from a vertical position to a higher one at which the front of the face makes an angle of 45 degrees with the ground. The horse standing normally with a rider on his back will have 66 per cent, of the rider's weight on the fore-limbs and only 34 per cent, on the hind-limbs. Obviously, if the fore-limbs are relieved of some of this excessive weight they will last longer. This can be done by putting the horse's back on their hocks in moderation. At slow paces, walk, trot and canter, the horse can be taught to move with his head carried high and bent at the poll, while the hocks are kept well under him to assist in carrying the weight. It is worse than useless to raise the head and let the hocks go farther back instead of being well under the horse. The placing of the head has been shortly explained in ''Bits"; the keeping of the hocks under the horse is done by the rider's legs, with which the horse is pressed well up to his bridle during the process of placing the head. Horses will keep sounder on their fore-limbs if they are taught to keep their weight well back on the hocks, but of course this is im- possible at fast paces, when the weight must be brought forward to gain impetus. 94 TRAINING YOUNG EXHAUSTION When the horse is overtired, the whole system is overtaxed, and he will be unable to digest his normal feed. When brought in in an exhausted condition the horse should be well bedded down in a large box, warmly clothed and bandaged, given a warm bucket of oat- meal gruel with some brandy in it (2 to 4 oz.), and later a warm mash. A pint of porter in a bucket of chilled water will help a tired horse on his way home, and is obtainable almost anywhere. FEEDING The principle of feeding young horses is : small quantities and often. Avoid overloading the stomach. Give a liberal allowance of chaff in the feed ; this will increase mastication, and so help digestion. Crushed oats have this advan- tage : in the whole state some of the grain may escape mastication and thus not be pro- perly digested, but if the oats are crushed this defect is obviated. Oats are a good muscle-producing feed, and for a young horse coming on to hard food about 4 to 8 lb. will be found sufficient for the first few weeks. This can be gradually increased HORSES TO JUMP 95 according to his work and condition. If there is any sign of humour breaking out it is ad- visable to cut down the supply of oats and replace with bran mashes and green food. When on a small oat ration, young horses should have a liberal supply of bran and good hay to provide the necessary bulk ; besides, they are both good bone-producing foods. Boiled linseed, from ^ to i lb. daily, is a good fat-producing ration for thin horses, and should be mixed with their ordinary feeds. Linseed also has a good effect upon their coats. Beans and peas are not recommended for young horses ridden in most hunting countries where they are liable to pick up thorns. The thorns are often poisonous, and heating food will only increase any inflammation and cause further trouble. However, if they are given, they should always be split and should be a year old. Lucerne and carrots are both excellent cooling foods. Gratings of carrots mixed in the ordinary food will often tempt poor feeders to eat up their feeds. Rock salt should always be in the manger. For horses that bolt their food the manger can be filled with pieces of rock salt which will N 96 TRAINING YOUNG prevent them eating quickly. Young horses often look about and listen to noises all day, but will generally feed up at night, a fact which should be taken advantage of. Nervous young horses should be allowed boxes that they can look out of, and they will become used to different sights and sounds. Water must be fresh. In cold weather it may be chilled. Horses should if possible always be watered at least half an hour before feeding, so as not to interfere with the gastric juices that aid proper digestion of the food. HUMOUR This shows itself by lumps appearing under the horse's skin, and they may become aggra- vated by friction or pressure of the saddle. The cause is too much hard food and the blood becoming heated. A small amount of Epsom salts may be given in the feeds ; oats must be reduced, and bran mashes and green food substituted. PHYSIC Grooms generally are anxious to physic horses on every possible occasion. Horses coming up from grass on to a hard diet will generally HORSES TO JUMP 97 require physicing, otherwise it is recommended to have professional advice before administering a physic. Horses should be prepared for physic, i.e. on soft food forty-eight hours before a dose. OVERREACH Overreaches occur when jumping or galloping, and are caused by the hind-shoes striking into the fore-limbs. Concave hind-shoes with the inner edge of the ground surface rounded off are the least likely to give a serious overreach. Overreach boots may be necessary for some horses. An overreach into the back tendon is generally caused by landing in boggy ground and the horse being unable to get his fore-limbs out of the way before the hind-limbs come down. (See Wounds.) SHOES Fullered shoes give a horse a better grip on the ground ; calkins on the hind-shoes also assist horses jumping. Concave fullered shoes should be used for hunters. The inner edge of the hind-shoes should be rounded off and the toe set well back to prevent overreaching. It is sometimes necessary to have frost nails put in 98 TRAINING YOUNG the shoes for show jumping if the take off is very slippery, but in this case the shoe should Fig. 22 (d) Fig. 22 (o SHOES FOR HUNTING OR SCHOOLING YOUNG HORSES {a) Concave fullered front shoe ; (,d,c) Off hind shoes, concave and fullered with calkin. The inner edge of the ground surface of the toe is rounded off; (6) Is feather-edged on the inside to prevent brushing if necessary, and nail holes are in the toe in place of the inner edge not be too nails. light to hold the studs or frost HORSES TO JUMP 99 PREPARATION OF THE FOOT FOR SHOEING The foot requires careful preparation for shoe- ing : when reduced to the proper proportions the front of the wall should make an angle of 50 degrees with the horizontal. Commence with light shoes on youngsters, and avoid using too many nails, as the early training does not take place in heavy going. Carefully examine every day for any indications of bruises, especially when actual jumping commences. On no account should the frog or sole be pared away. The ground surface of the wall should be rasped to make the foot level. If the feet are allowed to get too long there will be undue strain on the back tendons, especially during fast work. The frog- should be as near as possible level with the ground surface of the shoe, as the former helps to counteract the jar of concussion. The natural use of the frog coming in contact with the ground will help to develop and keep it healthy, otherwise the frog will deteriorate, and fail in its office as an anti-concussion mechanism. Skill and experience are necessary to know the exact amount to lower the wall, and how to loo TRAINING YOUNG obtain an even-bearing surface when shoeing, but the toes must be well rasped down, and the heels scarcely touched. SPRAINS Rupture of some of the fibres of the tendon or ligament, causing heat, pain, swelling, and great lameness. Accuracy in locating the lameness is essential. Common causes of sprains are : (i) Want of condition — muscle not braced to take the shock of landing over a jump. (2) Galloping suddenly from soft on to hard going (misapplication of the muscular bracing of the fore-limbs). (3) Uneven landing — twisting the ligaments. (4) Faulty preparation of the foot — wall lowered more on one side than another ; toes too long, heels too low, putting an extra strain on the tendons. (5) Fatigue. TREATMENT Hot water treatment to draw^ out pain and inflammation : If taken early — pressure bandage, hand rub- bing, cold applications. Avoid powerful lini- HORSES TO JUMP loi ments and blisters until all inflammation has subsided. {See Use of Clay.) SPLINTS Inflammatory growth on the cannon bone, usually inside. As a rule, they only cause lameness when developing in young horses, but when of great size are liable to be hit by the opposite foot, and may cause periodical trouble throughout the horse's career. In jumping horses they are mostly caused by too early w^ork and by concussion on landing, though a large percentage of splints are originated by knocks. Boots will, of course, prevent splints caused in this manner. TREATMENT Rest. Cold water. Work in cotton-wool and bandages. If persistent seek professional advice, as punch firing may be the only effectual remedy. Remedies professing to cure while the animal is at work are best avoided, as horses may in this way become permanently lamed by chronic periostitis. 102 TRAINING YOUNG SPURS Sharp spurs should, if possible, never be re- sorted to when schooling youngsters. It sickens a great many horses, whilst others rush or take off erratically if ridden in sharp spurs. A well-trained horse should come up to his bit with a pressure of the legs, in which case spurs, other than blunt ones for appear- ance, will be found unnecessary. SHARP TEETH All horses should have their teeth looked to periodically. The molar teeth are apt to become sharp at the edges on the outside of the upper and inside of the lower jaw. This will prevent proper mastication, and the edges must be rasped smooth. THORNS After hunting or schooling over natural fences, the legs should be carefully examined for thorns. The thorns must be extracted immediately before any swelling appears. Bath with warm water, cover with clean wool and a bandage. An obstinate thorn that has not been extracted may be drawn by an application of " antiphlo- HORSES TO JUMP 103 gestine " kept on for forty-eight hours, accord- ing to the directions. HORSES' WIND Extract from "Animal Management." Respiration. In a horse the air is drawn through the nostrils only. It is as well to be a confident judge of a whistler, as disputes on this point are not uncommon. Anyone who is slightly deaf will often fail to detect a slight whistler. HIGH BLOWING High blowing must not be confused with whistling. The former is a noise caused by the air passing through the nostrils, and is more pronounced in some horses than others. WHISTLING Whistling is the noise made during excessive breathing, when one or both sides of the larynx are paralysed. It is easily detected by ex- perience. It may be either a shrill or low- toned whistle emanating from the throat. It can generally be heard when a horse is canter- ing slowly on a small circle. In some cases it is more noticeable after a good gallop. 104 TRAINING YOUNG ROARING Roaring is the more aggravated form of whistling, and generally develops from the latter. BROKEN WIND This is an affection of the lungs, and the horse's expiration is under considerable diffi- culty. It is easily noticeable on watching the flanks. Affections of the wind are due to many causes, i.e. due to breeding from unsound parents, overwork when out of condition, in- discreet feeding, sudden change of diet, badly ventilated stables, the results of chills, influenza, etc., possibly from horses being overbent, climatic conditions : this latter cause alone being beyond human control. WHISPING Whisping indirectly helps a horse's digestion, and may keep off chills. It is essential for conditioning a horse. It stimulates the skin, invigorates the circulation, and has a healthy effect on the oil-glands. It is a form of massage, and will make the coat glossy and increase the muscle. HORSES TO JUMP 105 WOUNDS Extract from "Animal Management." GENERAL TREATMENT Absolute cleanliness. Small scratches should merely be washed clean and dressed with heal- ing antiseptics and left to the open air. Anti- septics, such as boracic acid, sulphate of zinc, solution of Jeyes Fluid (i-io), should be kept handy. Carbolic acid must be frequently applied as it evaporates rapidly. In more serious cases, after washing clean it may be necessary to stop bleeding by pressure above and below the wound (if it is a deep cut) or a simple pad and bandage. Wounds from wire must be allowed to drain out the poison before healing. Boracic lint fomentations should be applied to draw out the poison. All discharges indicate an unhealthy condition of a wound. OPEN JOINT When a wound is dressed it should be covered with a bit of antiseptic lint and bandaged. Wounds near joints should be touched as little as possible with the hands, nor should they be poulticed or fomented. Where there is an io6 TRAINING HORSES TO JUMP open joint {i.e. condition where there is escap- ing joint oil), which is serious, the wound should have a constant stream of cold running water over it till relieved. OVERREACH In the case of an overreach, the wound is caused by a downward blow, possibly even cutting the back tendon. There is, consequently, an underlip of skin hanging down, and when bandaging care should be taken that the lip is kept in correct position, when it will heal. If the lip is merely held on by a small tissue of skin it should be cut off at the outset. The overreach should be treated with antiseptics and bandaged from below upwards to keep the edges of the cut in position, as described above. Pads of tow should be placed under the bandage to prevent undue pressure on the injured part. CHAPTER VII TYPES OF HORSES In Chapter I it was stated that good fencers were to be found in all shapes. The following photographs of six horses are selected for three reasons : (i) Not one of them was high-priced as a young horse ; in fact, three of them were bought by Colonel Wood for troop horses. (2) Yet each was an exceptional jumper in his or her own way. (3) Each represents more or less a different type of horse from the point of view of conformation. It \v\\\ be noticed that the balance of each horse is mentioned. Balance is the basis of a good mouth : a good mouth does not merely infer a horse that does not pull, as is often believed, but a mouth that admits of free flexion to the bit, thus enabling the rider to get the maximum of control. By this I mean that the rider can almost place his horse's feet where he wishes. As explained in Chapter I, the degree of flexion of the neck reacts on the 107 io8 TRAINING YOUNG Fig. 23 BAY MARE Balance fairly good. Winner of the Championship at Dlympia, 1910, for jumpint;, also many other prizes. A very sticky fencer naturally, but a clever hunter and abso- lutely safe over any timber. She could never extend herself freely over water. She had a liard mouth and through not obeying her bit she \YOuld at times come wrong at her fences, but owing to her exceptional spring she would never hit a fence extension of the horse's four legs propor- tionately. This is commonly called "coming back to the hand." The more highly the horse is trained the finer is the adjustment of the limbs produced by the bit in sympathetic hands. HORSES TO TUMP 109 W. A. Rough Copyright Fig. 24 BROWN GELDING Perfect balance. A beautiful fencer. A horse that never came wrong at his fences and landed like a feather. However, as his head denotes, he had a sulky temper that did not decrease with age. He liked jumping at a pretty fast pace and never found it necessary to put in a short stride. A kind head and eye should be looked for when purchasing any young horse Of the six selected horses those with the best balance had the best mouths, and nearly always came right at their fences, or could easily be made to do so ; whereas those with less finished mouths were more erratic in taking-off. This peculiarity does not apply no TRAINING YOUNG W. A. Rouch Fig. 25 A BAY MARE Copyright Fair balance. An exceptional fencer. She came from a stonewall country where she had been huntel as a four-year old. She always preferred to buck over her fences and liked jumping slowly, at which pace she could extend herself over a wide place with ease. She had a very long stride and did not quite come back freely to her bit, so at times would take oft' close under a fence, but never with ill results ^ at all to racing, when the boldest and best natural fencers are those that find their right stride consistently at their fences ; but I think it is generally the case with a finished hunter who is required to collect himself and arch his back over a fence. In a young horse good HORSES TO JUMP 1 1 1 RROWN GELDING Balance perfect. On'y 14.3. but could jump any country, fast or slow, with consum- mate ease. In his prime one could not wish for a better ride in a reilly good hunt. If he had been biorger his place might possibly have been in the National natural balance is of great assistance in jump- ing. Foreign buyers in Ireland invariably look for this qualification, and consequently breeders pay particular attention to it. An aptitude for jumping is hereditary in horses, and this characteristic can nearly always be relied on in breeding, a fact that r 12 TRAINING YOUNG W. A. RouCH Copyright Fig. 27 BROWN MARE Balance perfect. Winner of innumerable prizes and a brilliant hunter, she could jump any sort of fences fast or slow. Perfect mouth and balance and would always take off right. A most intelligent mare should not be forgotten by buyers. Mares, from their conformation, can afford to be longer in the backs than geldings and yet jump equally well. Excessive length behind the saddle in a gelding generally denotes weakness, which is reflected in his jumping. In the photographs of mares it is noticeable HORSES TO JUMP i'3 Lopyn BROWN GELDING Balance perfect. Winner of the Championship, Olympia, 1912. Mouth and balance good and can easily be put in liis stride at his fences. He can extend himself over water as easily as he can negotiate an upright fence. This horse started to be schooled for Olympia m March 1912, and was never rapped by means of wire pulleys or any other method, as is generally believed to be necessary. He was taught to look at and come right at his fences, and though he may possibly touch a fence he will never make a bad blunder IS longer in the back than the that each geldings. The hocks have to withstand excessive exertion when jumping. Therefore hocks that turn out or are too small should be avoided, as both are 114 TRAINING YOUNG indications of weakness. Hocks that turn in considerably — cow-hocked — generally denote weakness somewhere, but need not necessarily be weak themselves. Horses that have their hocks too far back, so that the hind-limbs appear to be away from the horse instead of under him, may be con- sidered unlikely to make good fencers. The shoulders should not appear too heavy or bulky nor be too prominent at the point, at the same time they should appear muscular but "clean." The shoulder-blade should slope well back towards the withers so as to carry a saddle well. But though a horse may appear to have moderate hocks and shoulders, the real test is — Does he use them well or not? This can only be judged, first by watching the horse's movements, and then by riding him oneself. A horse with a sulky head or bad-tempered eye should be mistrusted, as they seldom belie their looks, and will necessarily be more trouble to train than a horse with a nice, kind eye. Width between the eyes is desirable. Powerful loins and quarters are a condition in which one can seldom hope to buy young horses. Consequently one must look to the necessary frame for building up such condition. HORSES TO JUMP 115 Horses with narrow chests and tied in at the elbow (i.e. elbows close in to the body, and consequent lack of freedom) should be avoided. Well-spruni,^ round ribs and a good deep girth are essential for a hunter. The forearms and lower thigh should be proportionately powerful to the size of the horse. A nice length of rein is necessary for a pleasant ride. The way the head is put on the neck will denote the likeli- hood of whistling. There should be ample width underneath between the jaws for freedom of respiration and room for the windpipe. All other points, such as the feet, joints, limbs, etc., should be considered from the point of view of soundness. Avoid any abnormal malforma- tion, i.e. pasterns should neither be too long and sloping, nor yet too short and upright ; a horse should neither be back at the knees nor yet stand over. Feet should neither be too flat nor long and low at the heel, nor should they be too short and " boxy." The frog, however, should be large and well-developed. Toes turned in or out produce faulty action and cause undue strain on the ligaments on the outside or inside of the legs respectively. Feet that are too long and low at the heel bring undue strain on the back tendons. Diminished bone measurement below the knee, ii6 TRAINING YOUNG i.e. ** tied in below the knee," should be avoided when buying. Size of bone below the knee de- FiG. 29. CAPT. P. RODZANKO (RUSSIAN ARMY) ON HIS IRISH HORSE "CODA CORTA" notes the capacity of the limbs for bearingweight. The tendons and ligaments in a well-bred HORSES TO JUMP 117 horse are in proportion to the bone, but, to some extent, quality of breeding and reduced substance are preferable to bulk in the bone of a more common horse. In a good grass country a well-bred horse is an absolute necessity, or one can never hope to keep with hounds in a quick hunt. FINAL WORDS The horse's brain is practically devoid of reasoning power, although he may have natural cunning. At the same time he is endowed with an excellent memory. This fact should always be borne in mind when training horses. From experience we know that training by means of gaining a young horse's confidence and repeatedly teaching him one simple lesson after the previous one is thoroughly learnt is preferable to exacting obedience by subjection to hasty and harsh treatment. The former results in permanent and reliable obedience ; the latter will in most cases merely produce temporary obedience of a defective nature. The horse may become nervous, sulky, or in the case of a high-couraged youngster he may become vicious, and put up a defence which his natural cunning tells him may defeat his trainer's endeavours to control him. No two ii8 TRAINING HORSES TO JUMP horses' characters and temperaments are exactly similar. Therefore endless patience and pro- gressive training are essential if one wants to get the very best results. It is a sound rule that if a young horse is not going smoothly in his work at each of his paces it means that his education has been hurried, and he must not be pushed on to a more advanced stage of his training till he has acquired smoothness at the previous stage. PRINTED AT THE BALLANTVNE PRESS LONDON Webster Famiiy Library of Veterinary Medicine Ciimmings Schr ' -lerinary Medicine at Ti. /:^rsity 200 .ofo Road Nofth Grafton. MA 01536